1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for dispensing water to domestic water coolers.
2. Acknowledgement of Prior Art
By domestic water coolers are meant water coolers which are used in a domestic, small office, cafeteria or canteen environment. They are usually free standing and are supplied from larger water bottles which must be up-ended so that the neck points downwardly and the mouth of the bottle is located ill the water cooler reservoir. Such bottles may contain a large quantity of water for example in the region of about 5 gallons. Up-ending one of these bottles in order to locate it properly upside down over a water cooler is not easy and for a small individual may be nearly impossible. Other people who have problems in handling such bottles are those with back problems and the elderly to whom a supply of clear, sterile water may be extremely important.
Even for the able bodied, handling of the water bottles and positioning them may be regarded as an art form. The skill is in spilling as little water as possible in up-ending the open bottle and placing the bottle in position.
The bottles used with such water coolers are not only large but are formed from plastic material at least sufficiently rigid to hold its shape and strong enough to contain and protect the water without fear of breakage or puncture. An appreciable amount of plastic is used in such bottles and they are, therefore, sufficiently expensive to be worth sterilizing and reusing. Indeed, if they were to be disposed of as garbage by the user, disposal would be a problem.
Sterilization of the bottles for reuse is itself a major problem. In order that the mouth of the bottle may be located in the cooling reservoir of the cooler, the bottles are necessarily necked. Sterilization using sterilizing agents is difficult due to the necessity of reaching all interior parts of the bottle. Large quantities of liquid may be used and even then the sterilization may not be absolute. Sterilization using ultraviolet light is also possible but this may also be subject to an incomplete result. Generally it is not possible to use heat sterilization on plastic bottles.
Thus, although the conventional system of up-ending large plastic bottles to dispense their contents in a controlled manor into water coolers is well established, it clearly has some problems associated with this conventional system. The bottles are difficult and clumsy to handle and may spill during location and sterilization of the bottles for reuse is difficult.
The present inventor has addressed these problems.